Journey
by SecondAlternateLieutenant
Summary: Korra experiences seven emotions after some life changing news. Part two will be Mako's seven. Makorra fluff!
1. Korra's Journey

I. Shock

Finding out was the biggest shock in her life.

Finding out she was the Avatar was nothing. She'd been a child, it fascinated her, but on some levels of her life, she understood that from the moment she was born. Discovering that she could bend all four, three at the time, elements was like rediscovering herself. Reflecting back, it had been more spiritual than she had originally thought, but being three years old, that was understandable.

Moving to Republic City had been a culture shock at first, but it was really something that she'd enjoyed the entire time. That had been more of an adrenaline rush than shock, but it was still different. There were little pieces of home that kept her sane, like Narook's noodles and Air Temple Island to go to.

Losing her bending was close. Even though memory of the feeling of her bending being taken made her body physically react adversely. It made her feel uncomfortable, scared, and uneasy. The fact it had been returned within days was amazing, but her discomfort had lasted for so long, those hours without that part of her being were awful. Uncomfortable.

The shock of finally entering the Avatar state. It was amazing, brilliant, and all other unnamable adjectives. It was such a significant part of her now, it was just impressive.

But there was no comparing the shock she was feeling when the healer kindly informed her in a soft, caring tone, the most important news of her life.

After nearly a year and a half of marriage, Korra, the Avatar, was pregnant.

Walking home, she could barely think straight, and walking was proving to be more difficult than before. Her mind was going a million miles a minute while standing still. She kept trying to rationalize and failing to comprehend what the healer had exactly told her.

Baby. A few weeks, not far along. Expected in the winter.

Her mind couldn't budge past it, causing her to drop her keys a few times before managing to get it into the lock and turn it, letting herself into the apartment she shared with her husband as a whole new wave emotion overtook her.

II. Anxiety

A _baby_.

That thought hit Korra the second she got into the apartment and saw the state it was currently in. Mako had been very busy at work and hadn't had the time or energy to clean it lately, so things were kind of strewn everywhere. It was a mess and she was a horrible wife for not cleaning it herself.

A baby would require the apartment be clean, at least enough that he or she could crawl on the floor. Babies needed things, they'd have to work more hours to save up some money to attempt to afford food, clothing, and other things babies needed. That was going to be where they were hit the hardest, in their wallets.

Biting her bottom lip, Korra started to straighten the living room, increasing in speed as she realized just how filthy the apartment was. She threw away random trash and straightened the furniture, trying to avoid the nagging commentary in her brain telling her their apartment wasn't ready for a baby. They didn't have room for a crib, heck, they didn't have another room. Their apartment was small, good for two, not for three.

She'd have to feed the baby, cook when Mako was working late. The baby would need so many things they couldn't afford. Need parents.

III. Terror

Babies weren't just little dolls you had to feed and clothe; babies were tiny humans who'd grow into bigger humans.

Korra stared at the wall as it sank into her brain that she was pregnant and that meant she was going to be someone's _mother_. Her anxiety level raised to pure terror at the thought of being responsible for the upbringing of a baby, a tiny little person that would need her to tell it what to do when life got rough. To make sure her child knew all the things in life that he or she would need.

The level of terror made her continue cleaning at a significantly faster rate than before.

It wasn't just material things, it was emotional. Korra would be responsible for making sure this baby knew it was loved and that life would be hard, but she would always be there for them.

IV. Realization

She loved her baby.

Korra stopped dead at the sudden thought as it entered her mind. She'd known about it for barely an hour and she already felt the warm, fierce, strength of love for her child. For Mako's child. A smile grew on her face as she touched her flat stomach that would soon be swollen past recognition. She was going to have a baby with the man she loved. With her husband.

A child. A little boy or a little girl who looked like her, or had Mako's eyes and loved them so much. Of course the baby would love them, because they could love the baby so much.

V. Fear

If Mako wanted a baby.

Fear set into her chest, weighing down her stomach and erasing any appetite she may have had before during a calmer emotion. She returned to cleaning the apartment like a mad woman. Somehow her mind latched onto the irrational concept that if the apartment was cleaned, Mako couldn't be mad about the baby if the apartment was clean, right?

Unfortunately for her, the apartment was shining clean and she was tired and sweaty by the time she realized exactly how insane that train of thought was. Mako had to want the baby right? He couldn't possibly not want children; he was such a good person. He loved kids, whenever they were out and he saw kids on the streets she always saw him give them a coin or two. He cared about them because he'd once been on the streets; he knew their struggles and didn't want kids to have to fight as badly as he had.

VI. Contentment

Korra felt herself relax as the realizations settled into a calmer state.

Mako would be home soon. She took herself into the shower and made sure she could at least smell good for when he came back. The last thing Mako needed was a sweaty, disgusting wife.

You know, other than finding out she was pregnant.

But Korra felt better as the heat of her shower melted away physical stress and helped her calm mentally. Even when she saw him standing in the kitchen, his back to her, as she came out of their bedroom, she felt calm, content with their future, no matter what it would bring. He turned and smiled at her, and she went to smile back, but found herself already smiling.

"Hey, Gorgeous." Mako left the tea he'd been brewing to plant a soft kiss on his wife's lips.

"Hey." Korra smiled and felt his arm wrap gently around her waist.

VII. Joy

"You're happy." Mako grinned at the oddly beaming smile on his wife's face. "You can't have just cleaned this place up."

"I did." Korra laughed, feeling a little more normal in this conversation. "I was thinking and it just seemed to happen."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm great." Korra grinned and shook her head.

"Over that stomach thing, then?" Mako grinned; pleased his wife wasn't sick anymore. It had been a solid week of her throwing up and feeling generally rotten and now she was smiling and standing in his arms.

"Well, no." Korra felt a little flushed, nerves and adrenaline rushing as she prepared to change his life. But it was good. They were going to be better for this, they could do this. She smiled and felt tears welling in her eyes. If she didn't say it now, she wasn't going to. "Mako, I'm pregnant."

"You're what?" He stared at her in complete and utter shock.


	2. Mako's Journey

I. Shock

Mako stared at his wife as the words left her mouth.

There wasn't any brain function happening while he just stared at her smiling face with watery blue eyes from tears. Happy tears though, right? But Mako just stared, totally unsure what his next move should be.

His vision swam and hearing dropped completely away as he tried to even mentally say the words. His mind was stuck, it wouldn't budge, he couldn't… just couldn't figure it out. Korra was pregnant? Pregnant.

II. Anxiety

Oh God, Korra was pregnant.

"Are you sure?" He amended as he realized she'd probably answered his last question while he was in the state of shock and lost control over his senses for much longer than anticipated.

"Yes, I'm sure." Korra was still smiling. How could she be smiling? They hadn't been married too long, how had this happened? They were having a baby already. They weren't ready, they didn't make much money as she wasn't exactly paid and he was still a rookie on the police force. They were going to have a baby that strained on their bank accounts and put so much pressure on them as people.

Everything was going to change. Their relationship was going to be irreversibly altered now that there was a baby coming. And would come.

"Are you alright?" Korra had a hand on his arm and was looking at him curiously.

"I just… yeah." Mako nodded and leaned against the doorframe to steady himself. Oddly, his legs didn't seem to have any strength left in them. "Yeah, I think so."

"Look, I know this is sudden…" Korra started but trailed off, "it'll be ok, Mako. We'll be here for them."

III. Terror

The fear that had been in the back of his mind since he was a child came to the surface full frontal as Korra tried to soothe him.

She was pregnant with his baby; he had a fairly dangerous job. If something happened to him Korra and the baby would be alone. She was tough, sure, but raising a baby on her own would be something she'd struggle with. The whole concept of child rearing weighed pretty heavily on two people to share the burdens, to share the load of things that could go wrong or just to guide their child into adulthood without struggles.

Like every single struggle he went through. A new wave of terror hit him as the realization that Korra had a dangerous job too, and if both of them died in their fields, their baby would be alone in the world. Parentless at a young age like he was. Having to fight for meals, do some jobs under the table that were definitely not on the up and up. There was no limit to how badly he didn't want that for his baby.

IV. Realization

Except their baby wouldn't be alone.

Even if something happened to him and Korra, Bolin would take care of the baby. Asami would probably help, and even Pema and Tenzin would be around to make sure that he or she was always loved, and always knew that they were adored by so many people. They would never struggle for a meal, never fight for a safe place to sleep at night, and never have to go a single day without someone telling them that they were loved.

Mako barely understood that his arms had shot out and grabbed Korra and pulled her against him. Luckily she wrapped her arms tightly around him and held him back. Errant tears were starting down his face at the sheer range of emotions he'd been experiencing in only a few minutes, let alone the intensity of them. And the intensity of their situation.

And even if nothing ever happened to him and Korra, which hopefully nothing would, and they lived into old age comfortably with their baby. And maybe a few others.

V. Fear

Children. The abstract concept was one he liked. Having babies, children who looked like him and his wife and raising them.

The reality of having children to rise hit him hard. This baby was going to rely on them for everything from food to clothing to diapers and just making sure they were loved and adored. The last part would be easy, but the fact they had to wake up every few hours with their baby and take care of them.

He didn't know how to take care of a baby.

And he didn't imagine Korra did either.

He'd raised Bolin from age six, but he was two when his brother was born, he didn't do anything to help with him as an infant. Their mother would help him hold his baby brother once and a while, propped up with pillows and hovering protectively, but that was the extent of it. He'd have to hold his own child, and he hadn't held a baby since he was two years old.

"Aren't you terrified?" Mako's voice was soft as he finally spoke again, feeling like it had been hours instead of the mere minutes it had been.

"Beyond belief." Korra cuddled herself as close to him as she possibly could. "But we're a team." She rested her head on his shoulder and looked up at him. "We're going to have each other."

VI. Contentment

The thought immediately calmed most of the fears in Mako's head down to echoes of uncertainty. They'd be together. If he didn't know what to do, Korra would be there. He could help her with things she didn't know. Hopefully. Or maybe they'd just fumble around and attempt to raise the kid together.

"We could do this." Mako murmured against Korra's temple, pressing his hands on her waist and lower back. "Be parents." A small wave of anxiety passed before he smiled at her. "A baby, huh?"

"Yep." Korra smiled up at him. "We're going to be ok, right?"

"Yeah." Mako smiled right back at her and pressed his forehead to hers.

VII. Joy

If there was anyone in the world he wanted to go through this with, it was Korra. If there was anyone in the world he was excited to have a child with, to take care of a little baby with, it was Korra.

Things would be rough, that was expected and unavoidable, but there would also be great things to look forward to.

Their baby's birth. Their first laugh, first smile, first word. Their first steps and the first time they bent an element. Or didn't, a non-bender would be just as adored because they would be their child. No matter what.

Mako took a deep breath in and was surprised to find he was a little congested from the tears streaming down his face. Korra was crying too, but they weren't sad. No, this emotion was the opposite of sadness, but so much deeper than just happiness. Their foreheads pressed together as they experienced the emotion together, the pure deep feeling.

Joy.


End file.
